What stands out worked out from the figures below

South Hadley has the most homeowners (77%).

Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	South Hadley	Everett
People
Population	17,754Lowest	50,045Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.6±2.6Highest 7% above MA	35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA
Kids under 18	12.8%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	23.3%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%	11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.2%Highest MA: 47.3%	24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	18.7%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%	6.3%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$93,910±$15kHighest 10% below MA	$85,218±$7kLowest 18% below MA
	South Hadley and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$357,900±$19kLowest 36% below MA	$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,325±$54Lowest 25% below MA	$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,500Highest 8% below MA	$4,880Lowest 19% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.7%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Everett and South Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.5%Lowest MA: 10%	14.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77%Highest MA: 62.5%	37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Highest 3 yrs older than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 19% below MA	35 minHighest 20% above MA
Work from home	17.3%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6%	10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#216 of 282 in MA	#264 of 282 in MA
School district	South Hadley	Everett
High school in town	South Hadley High	Everett High
Students per teacherat that high school	8.6Lowest	12.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.